Binding Ties
by Aisling Yinyr Ngaio
Summary: Percy had known all along that a hero's fate is never anything but tragic. So long as Annabeth was with him, nothing else mattered, not even if they were forced to close the Doors of Death behind them. Written pre-House of Hades.
1. Duty

_**Binding Ties  
**A Heroes of Olympus fanfic by Aisling Yinyr Ngaio  
Pairing: Percy x Annabeth  
_

* * *

**Chapter 1: Duty**

It was a war zone even worse than the Invasion of Camp Jupiter last month, or the defence of Manhattan last year. Monsters and shades from long ago clashed fiercely with demigods in full battle armor, some with feathered helmets, others with plain unadorned bronze helmets. Among the melee, a giant bald eagle escorting five demigods had a purpose other than merely dishing out death: they were trying to hold position at the ornate doors at the other end of the cavern-like antechamber.

"We can't hold out much longer!" yelled the dark haired boy who was quickly the tiring from amount of fire he had summoned to keep the attacking forces from reclaiming their position. "You see them yet, Pipes?"

Piper's nerves were already frayed with dividing her concentration between her Cornucopia, Katoptris, and the portal through the Doors. "No, Leo! They'll come when they come. Now concentrate!" she yelled back, her voice almost drowned by the sounds of thunder, both from the golden eagle standard she could still vaguely see in the distance, and the protection afforded by her boyfriend next to her.

Above them, the eagle swooped down and started changing forms midair, landing on the ground as an elephant that could've easily passed as Hannibal's twin, and charged into the crowd of slower but stronger monsters, giving the others some breathing space, but only just. Arion, carrying Hazel, was already nickering non-stop throughout the battle that it didn't take their equestrian expert to interpret the constant challenge he was trumpeting their foes, though he got marginally more excited when Hazel's agitation attracted the many precious metals beneath her father's temple. Hazel's brother, Nico, while mostly recovered from his experience in Tartarus, was very markedly focused on the battle and refused to look at the Doors longer than the split second every five minutes or so checking whether his long lost friends had returned.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Piper shouted "They're coming!" a moment before two teenagers, both seriously worse for wear, appeared on the other side, to a chorus of delighted and relieved "Percy! Annabeth! Thank the gods!" But even as Jason and Piper beckoned them forward as the rest of the group continued shielding them, they replied with an urgency that had nothing to do with finally having the chance to escape, "Guys! We've managed to lose them for now, but they'll be right behind us again in no time. We've got to act fast. One male, one female, blood seal. Hurry!"

Dumbfounded, Leo yelled, "Don't be stupid, guys! Come back here, we'll figure out a way that doesn't involve leaving your sorry asses in Tartarus again!"

"DON'T ARGUE!" Percy's yelled command was shocking to the group, as he'd never raised his voice to anyone before. "We have to do what we have to, or everyone will die! EVERYONE! Now hurry!"

Witnessing the stubborn stance of the dark-haired boy, Piper tried to appeal to his comrade, who was apparently still sporting an injured ankle, the injury that started it all. "Annabeth, please, you must know a way that-"

"No, Piper," Annabeth's voice, while hard with desperation and sorrow, managed to soften slightly while she glanced behind her to check that their enemies had not made any reappearances. "Not before hundreds of monsters from Tartarus reform much quicker than they usually do because they've found the Doors. The House of Hades will never survive such an onslaught. Don't you understand? This is the only way." So saying, she brandished her Celestial Bronze knife and held it close to her left palm, signifying the end of the conversation. "Do it."

There wasn't anyone in the group who didn't understand the significance: Percy and Annabeth, having survived Tartarus in an impossible feat to find the Doors, are volunteering to stay behind so that no one else would see the insanity of the pit, would never carry the burden of the memories there that even now Jason could see in their eyes. And even if Jason had been gone from Camp Jupiter for almost eight months now, he stood tall as he accepted the decision and placed his duty before his desire to save his teammates. He plunged his _gladius_ into the ground to clean it of monster blood, then looked at Piper in an unspoken agreement. She swallowed, tears streaming down her face, and raised Katoptris.

But at that moment of readiness, there was suddenly a ruckus on the Tartarus side, and suddenly Percy was hurtling through the Doors so fast that he took Jason and Piper down with him as he fell to the ground. As they scrambled to their feet, Jason glanced down to see his shirt stained with red - Percy's left palm was bleeding from a shallow slash. And Annabeth's clear command to "Stop him!" rang out three seconds before Percy started lunging back to the Doors, yelling her name over and over.

Jason understood immediately what had happened. Hard not to expect the daughter of Athena to come up with a plan ensuring that at least one of them survived, and hard to imagine that neither of them were thinking of how to save their other half. Annabeth had taken Percy's blood, so that only she would remain behind to close the Doors. His heart was so heavy with unknown emotions that only the pair could evoke in him, he had to take a few seconds while grappling with Percy before yelling at the others to help him, all while Percy was carrying on a deafening yelling match with Annabeth.

"Annabeth, don't do this, please! We're staying together! Together!"

"Don't you remember, Percy? I swore on the river Styx to do my best to keep you safe. And even if I didn't-"

It took the combined efforts of Frank, Leo and Hazel to take over from Jason in keeping Percy back, and even that was a herculean feat, as Percy was struggling with desperation, despair, and an unknown strength that came with his experience in Tartarus.

"That was... We were _thirteen_, and the camp was dying! And how am I supposed to be safe when you're not _here_?"

Annabeth only smiled regretfully through her tears, whispered a last "I love you, Seaweed Brain" before looking at Jason and a stunned Piper, nodding, then bringing her dagger down onto her left palm, and slamming both her palm and blood-soaked knife onto the Doors.

Jason raised his _gladius_ in a Roman salute, said "_Ave_, Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena" to the background of Percy's renewed screams, and sliced his palm together with Piper slashing hers. The moment their bloody palms touched the Doors, it started closing immediately, rumbling to the cries of the monsters in the cavern, who were realising that their escape route out of Tartarus was being sealed. Finally, the Doors slammed shut with a final boom, and flashed red.

It was over.

_- Finis, aut est? -_


	2. Love

_**Binding Ties  
**A Heroes of Olympus fanfic by Aisling Yinyr Ngaio  
Pairing: Percy x Annabeth  
_

* * *

**Chapter 2: Love**

The battle still raged on, although monsters were no longer reinforced by their reforming brethren from Tartarus once the Doors of Death was sealed. But for one man, nothing mattered. Nothing mattered, because _she_ was gone.

He scarcely felt the presence of his teammates as they left the battle to their campers and mourned the death of their leader, who sacrificed herself so that the battle would turn out in their favour, and saved her love from the same fate. He scarcely felt the pain on his fists as he slammed them over and over on the Doors, begging and coaxing and screaming for her return. He scarcely thought of how he could ever live in a world without her, _because she couldn't be gone_.

He was only brought out of his own agony when he heard Leo in between taking gulps of air: "-yeah, that's it Pipes. If you can bring Jason back, then Annabeth too!" Turning around, he saw his teammates for the first time since returning to the mortal world, and without realising it, stalked up to the small group. They were so focused on Piper and her knife that they almost jumped at Percy's deadly tone, flinching at the sight of volatile sea green eyes currently boring holes into one extremely unfortunate Leo Valdez, "What do you mean "bring Jason back", Leo? That time he saw Hera and died?"

Looking at Percy was almost too much for him, due to the fact that he'd never seen Percy in such a cold emotionless rage before, not even in the aftermath of the attack on New Rome, but Leo bravely answered, "Well, yeah, even _Tía_ said it was impossible for Jason to return, but Piper did it!" He clapped both Jason and Piper on their shoulders, and tried to project encouragement. "Never give up hope, right?"

Fired up with unexpected hope, Percy actually seized Piper's shoulders and demanded, "You can bring her back?"

Weak from her earlier crying, Piper took her eyes off Katoptris' view of Annabeth for a moment to glance at Percy nervously. "I… I'm trying… but last time… Jason… it was just his soul, his _anima_… Now, Annabeth… I don't know whether a _physical_ body can actually return, and through the Doors too…" At Percy's sunken expression, she hastily added, "I'll try, but…" she faltered, not knowing how to continue.

Surprisingly, the mostly silent Nico was the one to speak up. "Keep trying, Piper. She's still alive. I can feel it. But if the monsters catch up to her…" He paused, as if the memories of Tartarus were overwhelming him, then he stiffened and nodded at her, saying, "She would do the same for any of us."

Taking a deep breath, Piper nodded back and willed Katoptris to show her Annabeth again, and let her charmspeak flow through her words as she spoke to her knife's image of Annabeth, imploring her to return. Behind them, the battle kept pace now that the monsters were fighting for survival and not to retake the now-sealed Doors of Death, but the small group at the foot of the Doors hoped and wished for only one thing.

It was only when Nico frowned and shook his head, were the others brought out of their intense concentration on Piper. "It's not working, not like what I felt when Jason was being called back." He swallowed as six glares were turned on him instead. "I mean, Annabeth's still alive, but there's no _connection_, as it were. No…" His words petered off when Percy turned back and took a few steps forward, looking at the Doors as if by staring hard enough he could see through it to where Annabeth was most likely making her last stand. "No lifeline to return…"

Suddenly Percy whirled back around and grabbed Piper's right hand with his bloodied left hand, startling the entire group. He looked at her and said, "Try again." The group was still shocked by the sudden action when Percy nearly yelled, "TRY. AGAIN."

"Percy…"

"You saved Jason."

"Yes, but-"

"You're the daughter of Aphrodite."

"Percy, we all know that-"

"Your powers come from the goddess of love."

"I don't understand what you're-"

"You don't love Annabeth the way you love Jason. But I do."

The group's expressions cleared. Piper gave a tremulous smile for the first time since the Doors' closure, nodded, and focused on her knife once more. Percy, however, returned his gaze to the Doors and he prayed wordlessly, even as the rest of the Seven joined hands with him, forming a chain, channeling all the love and respect they had for their erstwhile leader into Piper's charmspeak.

_Dad, please, if you ever loved me, help me save Annabeth. Please._

_Athena, I know you care about the risks of war, but just this once, be a mom instead of a goddess. Save your daughter._

_Aphrodite, don't abandon us now. Don't let us separate ever again. After all we've been through, please let us have each other._

_Hermes, god of travellers, help Annabeth find her way back to us. There must be a way she can._

_Hades. Uncle. She sacrificed herself to save your temple from Gaea. If you have a way to help, please help us just this once._

_Hera, I know you don't like Annabeth much, but she's your hero as well. She was chosen to lead us, and we succeeded. So just this once, help us save her. For our family's sake._

_Hestia, goddess of the hearth, keeper of Elpis. If you have any power to lend me, then let it not be too late. Let my hope be not in vain._

He kept repeating the prayers over and over again, eyes focusing on the door, hardly realising when the air around them started crackling with divine energy, though he did instinctively notice the smell of sea breeze, and could've sworn he detected the faint smell of olives as well.

And then… the blood seal on the Doors glowed.

Percy renewed his fervent prayers to the gods as, slowly but surely, Annabeth's form, frozen in pre-battle _en garde_ position, solidified in front of them. Piper quickly switched perspective, focusing her charmspeaking energies into Annabeth's form instead of her knife's reflection.

Finally, Annabeth convulsed and opened her eyes, which flashed golden once, then she crashed onto the ground in front of her. Heedless of the fact that Piper was almost as drained and collapsing in Jason's arms, Percy ran forward and gathered Annabeth up into his arms.

"Annabeth? Annabeth, can you hear me? Open your eyes, please!" Percy implored as he touched her cheek and felt her weak heartbeat. "Annabeth?"

"Here, Percy." Hazel handed him a canteen, which he accepted with a nod of thanks while putting it to Annabeth's lips and force-fed her some nectar. After a moment - though it felt like an eternity - he was rewarded with her eyelids fluttering up. Those were the storm grey eyes he loved. She was alive. _Thank you, gods_.

"Percy…?" Maybe she would hit him if he ever confessed to such maudlin thoughts, but her whisper was the best thing he's ever heard, ever. He hugged her tightly, as his eyes finally started to sting with repressed emotions. Even so, after feeding her another few mouthfuls of nectar, he couldn't help but echo her words back to her, "If you _ever_ leave me again, I swear to all the gods…"

She chuckled quietly, touched his face, whispered back, "consider me warned", and, heedless of their jubilant friends surrounding them in this miraculous moment, kissed him.

_- Finis, nam reales -_


End file.
